just a little bit sad: canada's last penny

 good ol' canadian penny photo by me, kristal davis / rikrak

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today in winnipeg, manitoba, the last canadian penny is to be crafted.

sigh.

and there's a little, teeny-weenie pang of nostalgic sadness about it for me.

it's not horribly sad, or terribly sad or even actually sad. 

yet nevertheless.

something sad to do with us collectively no longer valuing the little things. 
sad about how little kids could fill their cupped hands with those tiny coppers and ask the cashier, hopefully: what can i buy with these?

i know.  it's costing us 1.6 cents to make that 1 cent coin.
and it doesn't make sense intellectually, financially,  philosophically, economically, weight-ily (evidenced here in a snazzy video)
but hey - how many things really do?

just a little bit sad. and you?

hope your weekend is nostalgically good, nicies!

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5-minute handwritten memento art { part 1 }

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i'll confess:  i'm a paper-keeper.

little scraps of handwritten memories fill boxes and boxes at our home.

but let's liberate those most special 2-D keepsakes and give them the attention they deserve!

i've been saving a very special-to-me piece of paper for years now: the luggage tag from my beloved grandmother's 1960's vintage over-the-shoulder samsonite bag. { i love that bag. now mr. rikrak lovingly uses it everyday these past few years)  and the memory of my grandparent's great travel adventures is alive for me in that well-loved luggage and the tiny scrap of paper she took with her to locales around the world. her handwritten name and address (& the great shape of the tag itself!) thrill me!

here's a super easy project i've just finished for a new colour-themed art-wall we're making at home. (more on that later!)

you can use ANY special-to-you paper memento. in the past i've used a special event ticket, a receipt stub from a special dinner, a handwritten recipe from a loved one, etc. the possibilities are endless!

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5-minute DIY handwritten memento art decor project

all you need for a project like this is:  

   ::  a flat special-to-you momento 

  :: a little bit of archival tape (available at art & craft stores) (or    regular masking tape if you prefer)  

   :: a inexpensive frame to match the porportion to your memento 

   :: a piece of paper to use as a background (or you could use a mat

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how-to

1. choose a special to you paper souvenir. (liberate it from your keepsakes box!) 

2. cut a piece of plain paper to the correct size as a background to your frame. (don't forget to clean the glass so it'll look extra fabulous!) i used white paper - but choose whatever colour or patterned paper you'd like!

3. play around with placement of your special token of love within the frame. my luggage tag has a great shape, so i liked it best with ample *white space (i.e. blank space!) around it, positioned to one side. centering it, or placing it in the top, or bottom, or any corner will give different fun effects!

4. gently secure your memento to the paper backing. 

5. add to frame (i repurposed one, and painted another out-of-use frame white for my next project! )

6. stand it on your desktop, on your nightstand, on the mantle, hang on the wall, and smile everytime you see it and think of your special memory!) 

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one of OTHER my favourite things to do with special scraps is to make them into Christmas tree decorations. then they're forever a part of our special memories, and we swoon & feel great joy with a tree filled with tiny notes for just a few weeks each year! try it! you'll love seeing your grandfather's signature hanging from a ribbon on one bough, or that adorable doodle your best friend drew in class from public school or the 1st time your child wrote their name!

care to share any FUN ideas on how to display your most special paper keepsakes?

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my favourite things: great postage stamps : industrial design

 

:: above ::

british royal mail design classics

american industrial design stamps

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gosh.

there's something so romantic about it.

a well-designed postage stamp.

wee little artworks to brighten any piece of mail.

my affection lies not in a philatelic way. 

but in a *swoon over great little designs* sorta way!

sure. their charm may be fleeting. added to a letter or package, their adventure into the world may last only 2 days to say a week.

but i think a gorgeous stamp makes a great first impression. it's the icing on the cake. who's with me?

as small business owners, we spend lots of time at the post office, don't we cuties!? i know it's seen it's heydey and all, but i still ADORE great stamps! i'm still giddy with delight when i see upcoming issues of well-designed stamps (such is not always the case - like any artform, there sure are lots i'm not a fan of!) and countdown the days til i can happily adorn my mail with new releases and send them around the world! 

i feel they add great charm to any letter, packet or box. professionally & personally.

my very faves are always iconic graphic design classics.

here are some i love from the industrial design field: paying due homage to great designers!

do you love stamps - for their passing fancy of a week on an envelope?

or maybe as a collectible?

written any fun paper letters lately?

swoon.

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:: below ::  

design italiano stamps

denmark's Christmas seals 1962 (industrial fields) 

 usps charles & ray eames postage stamps

canada post's industrial design by francois dallaire

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with thanks to etsy!

happy friday, cuties!

hope you'll come read my latest Etsy Storque Blog article here.

it's a gorgeous vintage eyeglasses collection with the beautiful magpie ethel!

if you have a chance, please leave a cheer for laurie & me over on the Etsy blog!

many thanks.

and have a beautiful weekend!

 

 

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the collectors: vintage eyeglasses

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i just love seeing what folks are collecting. i guess i kind of feel it tells us just a little bit about what inspires them, what they love, and what they choose to surround themselves with in their home. today, i'm delighted to present the next in the rikrak studio's collections series:  quick questions with a wonderful artist on what they're collecting, (apart from their art supplies! ) you can also check out my  *the collectors* series on Etsy, based on these posts! hope you'll just love magpie ethel's  charming vintage eyeglasses collection.

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What does your collection say about your personal aesthetic?

Does it reflect your love of  kitsch or things mid-century modern ?

Do you adore rustic or favor Edwardian?

How about this wonderful collection that asks: why choose only one style when you can  reinvent yourself everyday?

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Who are you? I’m Laurie of Magpie Ethel.  I am a stay at home mom who has loves vintage, estate sales and crafting.  I call myself a vintage crafter as I craft primarily with vintage finds.  I live in Portland, Oregon in an old house filled with estate sale goodies and lots of charm and collections.

What are you collecting? Today I am showing off my collection of vintage eyewear. 

When did you start? I have gone to estate sales for years and have picked them up here and there if the price is right.

How many do you have? I have about 10 or 12 pairs. I also collect vintage sunglasses that I display with the other glasses.

Where do you find them? I find them at estate sales primarily.

Where do you keep them? i keep them in a metal bowl in my sitting room.  I have never figured out a great way to display them in my little house.

What‘s an interesting story behind one? I used to wear a pair of vintage tortoise shell nerdy frames in college.  I think I found them at a thrift store and liked the frames.  The lenses were a crazy prescription that made me dizzy if i wore them.  I popped out the lenses and just wore the frames. I wear contacts, so I would just wear the frames to give me that cool retro nerdy look.  This was in the 80s.

What piece would you like to add? I would love to add some that are crazy with rhinestones in a cat eye style

Why do you love them? I think they just are fun to wear.  They act like a bit of a disguise sometimes and make you look entirely different.

Which one is your favourite? I probably like the ones with the colored frames the best - especially the pink frames. 

What else do you collect? I collect a ton and  have many, many collections. I do a weekly post called "Collection Challenge" on my blog (magpieethel.typepad.com) where I feature a different collection each week.  I just passed my 80th post with collections. I think I may rename my posts "Hoarders Challenge".  Some of my past posts have included vintage drinking straws,  vintage squeaky rubber toys and old advertising spoons. I collect things that make me smile and many of them have a graphic appeal to them.

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Charming! Thanks so much!

Laurie’s wonderful shop showcases both her delightfully ecclectic  personal crafting style and her fabulous personality.  It’s a veritable wonderland of whimsical bygone eras. And her lovely blog is a happy place where styles brilliantly intersect (ps: you should see all of her collections! WOW!)  

What do you collect?

Please tell us in the notes below. We’d love to hear!

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with thanks

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happy friday, nicies!

fun news:  my latest etsy blog article is up.

check out kristi mcmurry's gorgeous milk glass collection.

i'd be superdooper thankful if you had a sec to head on over to etsy and leave kristi & i a cheer if you can in the comments!

thanks so much, nicies.

have a WONDERFUL Canadian thanksgiving 

weekend, cuties!

what are you feeling thankful for these days?

cheers!

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collections: milk glass with kristi mcmurry

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i just love seeing what folks are collecting. i guess i kind of feel it tells us just a little bit about what inspires them, what they love, and what they choose to surround themselves with in their home. today, i'm delighted to present the next in the rikrak studio's collections series:  quick questions with a wonderful artist on what they're collecting, (apart from their art supplies! ) you can also check out my  *the collectors* series on Etsy, based on these posts! hope you'll just love vintage milk glass collecting with kristi mcmurry.

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What’s the story behind your collection? 

I love the journey  this particular medley of objects traces – a mix of random thrift store finds, and meaningful pieces given lovingly & thoughtfully to the collector;  the magic of how a collection comes together creating its own history through the gathering process.

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who (are you) : I’m Kristi McMurry, a web designer and photographer from Jackson, TN 

what (are you collecting) : all things milk glass

when (did you start) : it was around last summer. I stopped in a thrift store on my way to my boyfriend’s house (I pass it all the time, but just randomly decided to stop in) and saw two milk glass vases for 50 cents each. I thought they were so cute and really wanted to use them in my house! I started seeking out milk glass pieces from them on. 

how (many do you have) : I have about 50 pieces

where (do you find them) : antique stores, thrift stores, family members, and even my

Grandmamma’s boxes in my own attic!

where (do you keep them) : all over the house. I plan to use the tall skinny vases in my wedding reception someday

what (‘s a crazy/interesting story behind one) : The lamp that I’m posing with in the photo is one that a family member gave me at Christmas. It’s my step-dad’s mother, who has always treated me like I was her own grandchild. She wanted me to have something of hers, and since I was collecting milk glass, she gave me this beautiful lamp she’s had for about 50 years. I was SPEECHLESS. Pop, her husband gave me a very valuable camera (my other other collection) the same Christmas. They are both now two of my most cherished possessions because they were given with so much love. 

what(piece would you like to add): I would love a set of milk glass drawer pulls or knobs.

why (do you love them) : I love that they come in so many shapes and often have gorgeous detail. I also love that I can have tons of them without my decor seeming too busy!

which (one is your favourite) & why : My favorite is the lamp that I got for Christmas, but I also really love the tall pitcher that I got from another grandmother. 

what (else do you collect) : I also collect cameras, which was started when I inherited my grandfather’s cameras (can you tell I am really into collecting things from my grandparents?). My decor is a mixture of the milk glass and cameras. 

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Wonderful! Be sure to visit Kristi’s fabulous photography boutique , where each photo tells its own whimsical tale. Brilliant! And check out her photo & fashion blog, too! 

kristi mcmurry

photography shop | blog | twitter | facebook

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what do YOU collect?

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the collectors: vintage wallets

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i just love seeing what folks are collecting. i guess i kind of feel it tells us just a little bit about what inspires them, what they love, and what they choose to surround themselves with in their home. today, i'm delighted to present the next in the rikrak studio's collections series:  quick questions with a wonderful artist on what they're collecting, (apart from their art supplies! ) you can also check out my  *the collectors* series on Etsy, based on these posts! hope you'll just love vintage men's wallet collecting with debra of dahlila, found. 

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who (are you) :  Hello. My name is Debra, but mostly I'm known as Dahlila, Found on Etsy--as in what did she find now?

what (are you collecting) : Men's vintage leather wallets, but I love coin purses too--with kiss clasps! They're snappy! You can hold them in your hand, slip them into a pocket. It's like owning a secret. I may have been a pick pocket in another life.

when (did you start) : When I started buying for my shop. There's always a bin of wallets at the thrifts. They're old and worn, divinely soft, the quintessential patina.

how (many do you have?) I buy them with good intentions to sell, but right now I seem to own more than I have parted with: 15, maybe 20. If I wasn't diligent I'd own so many more.

where (do you find them) :  In men's pockets. Did I say that aloud?

where (do you keep them) : I usually have at least one on my desk. I like to toy with it when I'm thinking. Some people fiddle with Slinkies or prayer beads, I have wallets.

what (‘s an interesting story behind one) : In a man's leather billfold, I found a Greyhound baggage stub for Chayenne, Wyoming, dated June 29, 1962.

what(piece would you like to add): I can't imagine. It's about finding something I never knew existed. I stumble across them and they end up in my hand, then my pocket. Don't worry; I do pay for them...really.

why (do you love them) :  Besides having the softest leather imaginable, something you want a whole couch in, I can take it with me. I don't really need the whole couch, just one little wallet and I can walk out the door. I may have also been wanted for my fast fingers in another life. I always seem to be looking for escape routes too. Hm?

which (one is your favorite) & why : I have a  white leather woman's billfold on my desk right now, embossed alligator, worn and nicked. It has a kiss-clasp coin pocket with a real snap. I keep saying I'm going to sell it, or use it, but it's been sitting here for months. I don't think it's going anywhere.

what (else do you collect) : pebbles, beach glass, bobbles, old buttons. See, it really is a pocket thing. 

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so many thanks debra! love your collection: just perfect for father's day!

hope you'll take a moment to browse the fabulous california vintage, accessories & decor shop of Dahlila Found, too!  it's a delightful mix of eclectic finds, one-of-a-kind vintage beauties and more. you've got such a great eye, debra! thanks for sharing!

dahlila found

etsy vintage shop | twitter | blog

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{and happy father's day, sunday, to all the amazing dads, grand-dads, brothers, uncles, teachers, coaches, role-models, and all-around wonderful men in our world that create a community of love & kindness for my own child & children everywhere.  i've said this before,  and i'd like to say it again: i certainly agree with the idea that *it takes a village* to raise a child. cheers to the fathering figures out there that teach great things through their examples everyday!}

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